Motion-picture apparatus



T.'ARMAT.

MOTION PICTURE APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED 16.5, 1916.

Patehted Nov. 16, 1920.

1,358,917 4 SHEETS-SHEET l T. ARMAT.

MOTION PICTURE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.5, 191s.

Patented Nov. 16, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

(Jwwwc oz fiZM T. ARMAT.

MOTION PICTURE APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED AUG.5, 1916 1,358,917. Patented Nov. 16,1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS ARMAT, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

MOTION-PICTURE, APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent. ,Patented N 16 1920 Application filed August 5, 1916. Serial No. 113,373.

To all w 710m it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS ARMAT, a cit'ize n of the United States, residing at \Yashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motion-Picture Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to motion picture apparatus, features of the invention being susceptible of use in mechanism for taking satisfactory results may be secured, but at a very reduced cost. I

A special object is the provision of means for maintaining in unaltered axial relation the aperture of the framing plate, the projecting lens and one or more, of the condensing lenses, so that when the picture is framed, or moved from one position to another relative to the feeding mechanism, these parts move with it. A further object I is the provision of means for moving the entire optical system, including the beam of light, with the framingplate. A further object is to provide means by which the machine may be easily and quickly changed from a machine projecting a standard size picture with about the standard five to one movement, to one projecting a smaller picture, preferably a picture one fourth the standard size, with a movement much faster, preferably about ten to one, or if desired, the rate of movement of the same size picture may be easily and quickly changed.

A further object is to provide a machine in which the axis of rotation of a shutter, making a plurality of rotations to each pict'ure projected, is in line with the line of adjustment of the framing plate and optical system, so that the timing of the shutter will not be altered by the act of framing the picture, and so that the time of complete picture obscuration and complete exposure is reduced to a minimum.

A further object is to provide a machine with a shutter fixed in an eificient osition in front of the projecting lens, WhlCh will require very slight if any, adjustment re:

gardless of changing the focus of the lens or varying the size of the picture, which is accomplished by a novel addition to the projecting lens and in the construction of its mount.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts, and particularly pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a preferred form of apparatus embodying the present improvements.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same.

F ig, 3 is a horizontal sectional, elevation.

F igs. 4 to 6, inclusive, are diagrammatic views illustrating different wa s of maintaining the beam of light in line with the axis of the framing aperture and the optical system when framing the picture.

Like characters of reference in the several figures indicate the same parts.

In the, particular embodiment of the invention illustrated,-the frame A of the apparatus, which is more especially adapted for the projection of pictures, is supported upon a pedestal B bya bracket member 1 depending from the frame A. Preferabl the frame A is adjustable on the edestal and this is effected by member at 2 to the pe estal and providing said bracket member with a curved slot 3 through which projects a bolt 4 carried b the pedestal. A winged n t 5 screw-threa ed on the outer end of t' e bolt 4 serves to lock the frame A in adjusted position. This arrangement provides for a fore-and-aft or swinging adjustment of the frame A on the pedestal. If desired, the pedestal B may be ivot'ing t e bracket I vertically adjustable, as indicated in Fig. 1.

journaled in the front and rear frame plates a, a Also fixed on the shaft 10 is a spur a vertically depending extension or bar 34. 1

gear 11, which meshes with and drives a relatively small spur pinion 12 on a shaft 13 extending parallel with shaft 10. The shaft 13 carries a wheel or disk 14, which forms one member of the gearing for moving the film intermittently across the line of projection the particular construction, however, forms no part of the present invention and description is therefore unnecessary. The small spur pinion 12 fixed to the shaft 13 mesheswith and drives a relativelylarge gear wheel 15 on a third shaft 16, above shaft 13. A stub shaft 17 journaled in the side plate a and with its axis disposed at a right angle to the axis of shaft 16 is driven by the shaft 16 through intermediary gearing, not herein illustrated. Said stub shaft is provided with a gear wheel 18 (see Fig.

'1) which meshes with a gear wheel 19 on a counter stub shaft 20, also journaled in the side plate a. The shaft 20 supports and drives a drum 21 for feeding the film strip to the framing device.

The film or picture strip, which is indi cated by the letter F, is preferably unwound from a suitable reel 22 mounted on a pedes= tal 23 supported above the frame A. Said film is preferably provided with a single line of perforations e, and consequently the receiving drum has only a "single line of teeth or'projections 21, for cooperation with the perforations in the film strip. As shown, the film strip F leads to the driven drum 21, it being maintained in operative contact with the latter by an idler drum 24 mounted on the end of an arm 25. At its other end, the arm 25 is provided with ,a sleeve 26 which is pivoted on a stud or pin 27 projecting outwardly from the side plate a. A spring secured to arm 25 and pressing up wardly through a slot in the sleeve 26 to engage an irregular shaped part of the pin yieldingly urges the idler drum 24 toward the driven drum 21. Preferably, idler drum 24 is formed of three spaced-apart disks 24"- between two of which pass the teeth 21 of the driven drum. This construction of the respective drums insures the film being pressed always in operative contact with the driven drum without interfering in any way with the movement of the latter. A handle 28 projecting laterally from the arm 25 permits the idler drum to be lifted away from the driven drum, when desired.

The film strip passes between the drum. 2 1, 24 to -the framing device. In the pre-' ferred embodiment of the invention, the framing device is constructed as follows: Projecting laterally from the side plate a of the frame A are upper and lower bracket members 29, 30 between which are mounted front and rear fixed rods 31, and 32. A frame 33 is mounted to slide vertically on said rods, the frame 33 being provided with This bar. 34 extends to the lower portion of the frame A and is provided near its lower end with rack teeth 35 in mesh with the teeth of a pinion 36 on a shaft 37 journaled in brackets projecting from side plate a. Shaft 37 is provided with a knurled hand wheel 38 for impartingrotation to the shaft to raise andlower frame 33. Mounted on frame 33 is a rear framing plate 39 carried by a bell crank member or plate 40, which is pivoted at 41 to the frame. A spring 42 (Fig. 3) secured to the frame '33 and bearing against the lateral portion of said bell crank maintains the rear framing plate in proper position behind the film strip F. Projecting from the'rear framing plate 39. is a finger piece 39, permitting the plate to be grasped and swung about its pivot 41 away from the front framing plate, when it issdesired to thread the film through the apparatus. The rear framing plate 39 also carries upstanding spaced-apart arms 43 which mutually support a guiding spool 44 over which the film strip passes, as shown more particularly in Fig. 2. Preferably, the guiding spool 44 is constructed of a sleeve and two disks at the ends of said sleeve, all slidably mounted on its spindle 45 and yieldingly pressed toward the side plated by a spring 46, encircling spindle 45 and interposed between the outer of said arms 43 and one disk of the spool 44. This insures the edges of the film being gently pressed and prevents lateral wabbling. Said rear framing plate 39 is provided with a framing aperture 39 approximately the size of one picture of the film strip F.

Secured to the side platea and projecting laterally therefrom isa bracket member 46' which supports the front framing plate 48. -The latter is provided with an aperture of sufiicient vertical dimension to accommodate the limit of upward and lowering adjustment of the rear framing plate 39 without covering the aperture 39 in said rear framing plate. A pair of springs 49 secured to the front face of plate 48 support at theirends a bar 50 which is pressed by the springs toward the rear plate into yielding engagement with the film strip 1n front of said rear plate. This bar 50 serves to keep the film strip F flat against the rear framing plate 39. i

As shown in F igs. 1 to3, inclusive, the vertically sliding frame 33 carries rigidly with it, a longitudinally and horizontally extending rod 51, and adjustablyinounted on the rod, in the rear of the framing plates is the mount 52 .of the condenser lens. The projecting lenses are carried in a mount 53 secured rigidly to the vertically adjustable frame 33, in front ofthe framing plates. The axes of both the projecting and condenser lenses are in line with the aperture in the rear framing plate 39, and as the mounts carrying the lenses are rigid with and move with the frame 33 and the rear framing plate, alinement of the axes of the said lenses and the framing aperture is always maintained irrespective of the adjustment of the frame 33. The mount 52 containing the condenser lens may of course be adjusted toward and from the rear framing plate 39, as required, but this will in no way affect the alinement of the above stated axes. Said mount 52 is provided with a series of ventilating holes 52".

By means of a novel modifying means applied to the projecting lens in conjunction with the novel construction of its mount, I am enabled to vary the size of the picture on the screen without materially altering the distance between the front of the lens and .the shutter, so that the shutter may be fixed in position in front of the lens where it will cut the cone of light .at a most efficient point and pictures of different sizes projected. This is accomplished by mounting the projecting lens preferm ably in the front part of the mount 53,;pro-

vided with front and rear slots 53 and 53",

both arranged diagonally with respect to thelongitudinal axis of the mount. Be-

hind the projecting lens is mounted a meniscus or other form of reducing lens. The front and rear lenses are respectively provided with pins or studs 53, 53 projecting through the-slots and carrying thumb screws 53 53 for locking the lenses in adjusted position. With this construction, by loos ening the screws of the pins 53, 53 and moving the latter in the slots 53, 53", the

lenses may be moved toward and away from'each other; or the screw of one lens. may be loosened and one lens adjusted longitudinally relatively .to the other. The slots 53?, 53 are connected with the opposite edges of the mount by axial slots 53 53', permitting the lenses to be removed readily when desired.

The shutter is fixed in position where it will best out thecone of light projected by the projecting lens, used alone, the lens being of a focus adapted to give'the largest picture that will probably be wanted. When a smaller size picture is wanted, or when it is desired to project a given size picture for a greater distance, a reducing lens is inserted in the mount, preferably in the rear of the mount. A slight adjustment of the two lenses to or from each other will- I of sizes of-pictures or for a wide variety of distances from the screen and without materially altering the distance between the front of the lens and the shutter.

may be secured in a number of different ways, several of which are illustrated in diagram in Figs. 4 to 6, inclusive, of the drawings.

The preferred way of maintaining alinement of the beam of light with the axes of the framing aperture and lens, is, to provide a stationary source of light and some means of reflecting the beam always through the axes of the lenses and framing aperture. In

Fig. 4, the beam from the stationary incandescent lamp 57 is reflected by va suitable 5 light reflector 58 through and in alinement with the axes of the condensing lens of ordinary type, the framing aperture and the proj'ecting lenses. The reflector 58 is mounted on the frame carrying the framing device and lenses, preferably behind the condensing lens and disposed at the proper angle to catch the beam from the light, which is set horizontally, and deflect it through the framing aperture and lenses. As the support 33 carrying the lenses and framing device moves vertically, the light reflector also moves in vertical planes and consequently the angular relation of the reflector and the light beam is never changed. Thus, alinement of the axis of the light beam through the framing aperture and lenses will always be maintained, irrespective of the vertical position in .which the frame 33 has been adjusted.

- The above described principlemay also be utilized when it is devised to employ an arc lamp as the source ,of light. In Fig. 5, the lightreflectbr 58 is mounted behind and below the lens mount 52, as in Fig. 4. A sta- 11o tionary light reflector 59, is positioned above the vertically adjustable light reflector58 and is set at the proper angle to catch the beam from the electrodes 60 and reflect it to the movable reflector 58. The latter is set at the proper angleD to reflect the beam through the lenses and framing aperture. The angular relation of the two reflectors remains the same as the 'movable reflector 58 is adjusted with the frame 33 toward and from the fixed reflector and consequently alinement of the beam of light is always maintained. The form shown-iaFig. 6 is substantially the same. as that of Fig. 5, with the exception that the movable reflector 58 is mounted above the condensing lens mount 52 and the stationary reflector is beneath the movable reflector. The latter arrangement requires a lower position of the arc lamp electrodes 60, as shown. When the light is strong enough to make a slight loss a matter of no special consequence, it-is not necessary that the beam of light, from its source, shall move with the framing plate. With a strong light, the rear condenser may remain in a fixed position with the light, and the front condenser, preferably a relatively small lens, and placed close to the picture, is moved with the framing-plate, etc. With this arrangement the spot of light from the rear condenser is made large enough to cover tlte movement of the front condenser in which event an equally well lighted picture will be projected in every position it is framed.

The shaft 13 supports and drives a large spur gear 100 which meshes with a gear 101 (see Fig. 3) on a shaft 102. Shaft 102 supports the shutter 103 preferably of the shape indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. The meshing of the spur gear 101 directly with the larger spur gear .100 mounted on the shaft of the driving element of the intermittent pair, insures accurate timing of the shutter, which is an important feature at all times, but especially so where the shutter, as in the present case, makes a plurality of revolutions to each picture exhibited, for the reason that the width of the shutter wing that obscures the picture during its period of change has to be made considerably wider than it would have to be if it made but a single revolution to each picture exhibited, and, if in addition to thisextra width it had to be made wider to mask any back lash or lost motion in a chain of gears there would be a loss of light without any compensation therefor. 'The advantages of having a shutter make a plurality of revolutions to each picture exhibited are several, but the most important is that by this means the shutter is given a relatively high rate of movement in completely closing and completely disclosing the picture, which more than compensates for its additionalwidth. For best results the picture should not start to move until it has been completely covered by the shutter and it should be uncovered as quickly as possible as soon as it has been shifted. The quick masking and unmasking of the picture during its period of rest accomplished by a shutter having a plurality of revolutions to each picture exhibited also reduces the flicker to a minimum, practically eliminating it and d0- ing away with it entirely when used in conjunction with a very quick shift of the pic.- tures even in pictures taken at as slow a rate as eight per second. By virtue of the very quick movement employed in shifting the film in the present invention, a comparatively narrow shutter may be used, notwithstanding the fact that it makes a plurality of revolutions to each picture exhibited.

of shutter tomask a too early or too late covering or uncovering of the picture, a disadvantage to Which a shutter having its axis of rotation offset as" to the line of movement of the film in framing the picture, is subject.

" A casing 104 incloses the periphery of the,

shutter to prevent injury to the operator.

This casing consists of a disk having a lat eral flange extending around the periphery of the shutter and anopening in the line of projection for permitting the projecting beam to pass through. The disk is supported by a bearing 105 in which the shaft of the shutter is journaled and said bearing 105' is connected by an arm 106 with a fixed portion 107 of the frame.

The frame plate a carrying-the member 68 of the film feeding mechanism is adapted to be secured to. the top'and bottom plates a a. This plate also supports the exposed parts for guiding and alining the film strip. All the parts carried by the plate a are j ournaled on lateral axes and all the parts carried by the other portion of the frame are journaled on longitudinal axes. With this construction, by simply unloosening the screws the plate a may be removed ex osing every part of the apparatus, when it is desired to adjust or repair any of the parts.

What is claimed is:

1. In'a motionapicture apparatus, the combination with mechanism for advancing the film across the line of projection, a stationary apertured framing element, a projecting lens and a condensing lens, a movab e support carrying said lenses, a second apertured framing element movable in unison with the lens support in a line parallel to the line of movement of the film and independently thereof said second frame element being pivotally mounted on an axis parallel to its line of adjustment, an means for resiliently holding said framing elements in contact with each other.

2. In a motion picture apparatus, the combination with mechanism for advancing the film across the line of projection, a station-' ary apertured framing element, a projecting lens, a condensing lens, an adjustable support carrying said lenses, 9. second apertured framing element, pivoted to said support on an axis parallel to the line of movement of the support independently of the film, and means associated with each framing element for holding the film in contact withthe other framing element. 4

3. In a motion picture apparatus, the combination with mechanism for advancingthe film across the line of projection, a stationary apertured framing element, a projecting lens, a condensing lens, an adjustable support carrying said lenses, a second apertured framing element pivoted to said support on an axis parallel to the line ofmovement of the support, and yielding means associated with each framing element for holding the film in contact with the other framing element. I

4. In a motion picture apparatus, the combination with mechanism for advancing the film across the line of projection, a stationary apertured framing element, a projecting lens, a condensing lens, an adjustable support carrying said lenses, a second apera framing device movable relatively to each other to center the picture in the framing device, a relatively fixed source of light, and a reflector positioned to receive incident rays from the source parallel with the plane of relative'movement of the film and framing device and to direct said incident rays through the framing device in the optical axis of the instrument.

6. In motion picture apparatus, the com bination with film feeding mechanism, a lens. system for the projecting rays movable in the plane ofi the film to center the picture in the optical axis of the lens system, a relatively fixed source of light and a reflector movable with the lens system positioned, to receive incident rays from the source parallel with the plane of movement and to direct said rays-inlsaid optical axis in all positions of adjustment.

7. In motion picture apparatus, the combination with film feeding mechanism, a lens for the projecting rays and a framing device, said lens and framing device being adjustable in the plane of the film to center the picture in the optical axis of the instrument, a relatively fixed source of light, and a reflector adjustable with the lens and framing device and positioned to receive incident rays from the source parallel with said plane and to direct the same in said optical axis in all positions of ad'ustment.

THO AS ARMAT. 

